


The Halloween Party

by Missjlh



Series: Twin AU [2]
Category: GreedFall (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twins, Comedy, F/M, Fluff, Halloween Costumes, M/M, Male De Sardet/Constantin - Freeform, Sexual Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-22 18:15:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30042762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missjlh/pseuds/Missjlh
Summary: Halloween is taken very seriously in the Congregation of Merchants. So serious that the annual Halloween ball is the social event of the year. Now living in New Sérène, Elizabet and Constantin opt to plan a ball, much to the consternation of Elizabet’s twin brother and Constantin’s lover, Loïc.Along the way, the other companions discover candy corn, witness some truly terrible costumes, and learn the drawbacks of hiding in a spare bedroom.
Relationships: De Sardet/Vasco (GreedFall)
Series: Twin AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210070
Comments: 10
Kudos: 1





	1. A Great Idea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Norathar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Norathar/gifts), [ThePreacher1031](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ThePreacher1031).



> This is inspired by some discussions between myself, u/Norathar and u/ThePreacher1031. While this takes place in the Twin-verse, it’s significantly lighter than The Twins and does not feature any actual abusive behaviour (though there are very brief hints to it). 
> 
> Given that as of the date of publication I’m in the middle of the coup storyline in The Twins, writing this has been a very welcome shift in tone.

Halloween was always Elizabet’s favourite holiday. As a child the reason was simple: Candy! Desserts! Fun decorations! 

The one downside: pumpkin pie. She’s never liked it. It’s orange and the texture is... weird. Candy corn is more her style, anyway. 

As an adult she found that she loves Halloween for an entirely different reason: she gets to be someone else for a night. Every year there is a large Halloween party at the palace; the sort of party the nobility clamour to receive an invite for. It’s one of the very few parties she attends willingly. 

It’s a lot easier to attend a ball wearing a mask. For two years in a row she dressed as a doctor, complete with the mask. A costume that stopped going over well once cases of the malichor really started increasing. But, for a night she got to be the doctor she longs to be. 

Another benefit of a mask or heavy makeup is that it helps with her anxiety. People don’t recognize her - at least not right away, so she’s not communicating with the expectation that she be the perfectly polished and charming member of the De Sardet family that everyone thinks she should be. She can just be herself. 

“What do Nauts do for Halloween?” She asks Vasco one morning while they’re lounging in bed, a month before the holiday. 

He gives her a strange look. “What is Halloween?” 

“You don’t celebrate it?” 

“No?”

“Oh... it’s a holiday where people dress up in costumes and give out candy to children. There’s a costume ball every year in Sérène; it’s one of the wilder parties you can go to. Well - wild for nobility, anyway,” she says. 

Vasco looks baffled. Really baffled. “And that’s a holiday?” 

“It’s a lot of fun,” she says. “My favourite holiday, to be honest with you. I know we haven’t been here in New Sérène long and that we’re all still getting settled, but I was thinking about asking Constantin if he would like to throw a party at the palace. Would you... consider going? I know these sorts of things are new to you and you don’t have to,” she says quickly.

“What sort of things could you dress up as?” Vasco asks, still looking skeptical. 

“Anything, really. I’ve dressed up as a doctor, a ballerina, a pumpkin...” 

“You... dressed as a... pumpkin?” Vasco says, as if he can’t quite believe it. 

“They’re sort of an important part of Halloween. People hollow them out, carve faces into them and put candles inside,” she explains. 

“I’m not dressing as a pumpkin,” Vasco says. 

Seeing Vasco in a pumpkin costume would be rather fun but she also knows not to push her luck. 

“Maybe you could borrow an outfit from Kurt and go as a Coin Guard?” 

“That could work,” Vasco says. “I suppose if I’m to be stuck here on land with my lovely Congregation partner, I should take part in at least a few of the traditions you hold dear.” 

She just threw the idea out there because it was the first thing she thought of. With Vasco having agreed to it, she realizes she should have tried to think of something that would allow him to wander around the palace bare-chested all night. That would be... so nice. 

“What are you thinking about?” Vasco asks her, smirking. “You’re really admiring the view.” 

They are in bed, and they aren’t wearing any clothes, after all. 

“Just... imagining you wandering around the palace without a shirt on, is all.” 

“Oh? Is this a specific combat strategy the Coin Guards employ? Shall I ask Kurt what unit fights half-dressed?” 

She will never hear the end of it from Kurt if Vasco brings it up. “I mean you’d have to dress as something else,” she stammers. 

Vasco rolls over, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. “I’d have thought you see enough of me unclothed but if you’d rather I go around with my shirt off, I can indulge you... at least until winter,” he says, kissing her shoulder, the stubble around his lips tickles and makes her squirm and laugh. 

“Just throwing the idea out there; obviously I won’t object if you opt to remain fully dressed.” Vasco leans down and kisses down her side, making her squeal. “Vasco!” 

“Apparently there is one novelty to fooling around with you before my morning shave,” Vasco murmurs. “You’re ticklish.” 

Rolling over, she runs her nails gently down Vasco’s side and he laughs, recoiling away from her. “So are you,” she points out. 

“Since my tempest has given me permission to remain fully dressed out in public,” Vasco says, smirking, “I think I’ll stick with the Coin Guard costume. You’re going to need something to take off me at the end of the night anyway.” 

“An excellent point, Love,” she says, giving him one last kiss before they get out of bed. 

Elizabet begins rummaging through their closet, looking for an outfit to put on. She grabs a silk blouse and skirt, and begins dressing. “I’ll talk to Constantin; he is going to be thrilled to have a Halloween ball at the palace.” 

“What does Loïc think of Halloween by the way?” 

“Oh, he hates it. Thinks it’s absurd and childish.” 

A grin slowly spreads over Vasco’s face at the revelation. 

Constantin is just as thrilled as she expected him to be. “A Halloween party is a fantastic idea! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it! You’ll help me plan it? Will your handsome captain attend?” 

“He has agreed to go, recognizing it as a chance to experience a new cultural activity,” she says with a smile. “Will you be able to talk Loïc into going?” 

“Oh, leave Loïc to me. He can never refuse me anything.” 

Planning parties has never been her strong suit. Being shy and anxious tends to mean she prefers avoiding parties, let alone planning them. “I’ve planned many soirées over the years; get the invites sent out and I’ll do the rest!” Constantin says with more enthusiasm than she’s seen in him when taking on any task since arriving in New Sérène. 

Most of the events Constantin has planned have been smaller, wilder and more private parties. Generally involving courtesans or other paid company. But a party is a party... probably? 

“You still hate pumpkin pie, right?” 

“Yes, why?” 

“Just checking to see if you’re still lacking in taste,” Constantin says, winking at her. “I’ll make sure there’s a wider selection of desserts so you’re not deprived.” 

“You seem to approve of my partner so my taste can’t be all that bad,” she says, giggling. 

“Well, nobody is completely hopeless, dearest Elizabet.” 

“So my taste in men is fine, but my taste in desserts isn’t?” 

Constantin has a little crush on Vasco; something he desperately tries to keep from Loïc, who would be terribly jealous if he knew. 

“Yes,” Constantin says. “What’s the name of that cake you like?”

“Dacquoise. You’ll have the bakers make a few for the ball?” 

“Just for you, Elizabet.” 

“What about candy corn?” 

Constantin rolls his eyes. “You are the worst, Elizabet. The absolute worst. I take back every kind thing I’ve said about your sense of taste.” 

“I think there’s a food stall that imports it from the continent so we can use them as a supplier,” she says. 

“I’m not shaming myself by signing any contract with the words ‘candy corn’ on it, so that’s your job. You know, your captain is liable to run back to sea if you feed it to him,” Constantin says as he scribbles a list of decoration ideas on a piece of parchment. 

“No; I think he’s going to like it,” she says. 

Constantin just laughs hysterically in response. 

Kurt was always a little nervous about the annual Halloween ball back in Sérène. It’s no different here. “It’s not easy to watch out for threats when everyone is wearing masks,” he complains when she tells him about the party. 

“And I expect I’ll be required to dress up in order to avoid standing out?” Kurt says, sounding most irritated by the prospect. 

“I got Vasco to agree to dress as a Coin Guard; I can always ask him if he would be willing to find you a Naut coat that fits properly and help you paint a few tattoos on your face.” 

“Well, it’s better than dressing up as a pumpkin, I suppose,” Kurt says, sighing. 

She crosses her arms and stares at Kurt. “What was wrong with my pumpkin costume? It was cute!” 

Kurt narrows his eyes. “On you, maybe. I’ll be laughed out of the barracks if I go out dressed as a damned pumpkin.” 

It turns out Halloween is generally only a Congregation thing. Petrus is familiar with it, thanks to his years in Sérène, but Aphra has merely heard of it. Siora doesn’t quite understand it.

“So you are pretending to be other people?” Siora asks her as they all sit in the dining room. Loïc is at the palace with Constantin and she doubts his presence is missed here at the apartment. 

“Sort of,” she says. “You dress up as other people, animals or things. I was a pumpkin one year.” 

“What’s a pumpkin?” 

“They don’t grow here natively, Elizabet,” Aphra says, reaching for the bottle of white wine to top up her glass. 

“Never mind. You would make a good flower. Drape some vines around you, paint your face a bright yellow, and make a hat with white petals. You’d be a daisy!” 

“Dressing the pretty flower as a flower is a little on the nose,” Kurt says. 

“‘On the nose’?” 

“It’s an expression. It means the idea is lacking in imagination,” she explains to Siora. 

“I like the idea!” Siora says. 

“I suppose I could dress up and attend. It won’t be blasphemous, so long as I do not dress as Saint Matheus. But we have several ancient philosophers that are well-respected in Thélème so I can go as one of them,” Petrus says, looking thoughtful. 

“What will you dress up as, Aphra?” Elizabet asks. 

Aphra frowns and takes a drink from her wine glass. “This entire thing sounds ridiculous. If you insist, I’ll go, but I’m not dressing up.” 

“Sounds like you’ll stick out if you don’t,” Vasco says. 

“If I dress in all black and put a pair of cat ears on my head, is that good enough?” Aphra asks. 

“Suppose so.” It’s the best she’s going to get out of Aphra. 

“So what is Loïc dressing up as?” Vasco asks, smirking. 

“I’m not sure; Constantin is in charge of his costume.” 

“And you, Tempest?” 

“You’ll see, Love,” she says with a wicked grin. 

***

“Constantin, are you sure you don’t need me to review the contracts? I am your assistant,” she says, standing by Constantin’s desk. The desk is full of paperwork and blueprints of sconces, as well as proposals for commissioned art work. 

“No; I’ve got this. You procured the... sugar wax so you need not trouble yourself! Get back to practicing your skills on your latest animal corpse.” Constantin pauses and then looks at her with wonder. “We can put a few of them on display! Show off the innards of those strange lizard things. People will love it!” 

“Corpses start to decompose very quickly, Constantin,” she reminds him, hoping she’ll be able to dissuade him from this new idea of his. 

They want this ball to be memorable, and displaying dissected animal corpses certainly would be, but for all the wrong reasons. 

“Oh, I’m sure they’d last for an evening,” he says. 

“They tend to smell. Rather strongly, in fact.”

“We’ll just keep them away from the food table,” Constantin shrugs. 

“Why don’t we commission a painting of a dissected animal instead? It would be appropriately gory, but there would be no smell to contend with. Or venom.” 

Because it would be inevitable for some drunk noble to stick their fingers inside the corpse of a _lewolan_ and end up poisoning themselves with its venom. 

Though Aphra would probably be happier crafting antidotes for idiot nobles than wandering around in a costume, admittedly. 

“A splendid idea, dear cousin!” Constantin near-shouts. “I’ll arrange for an artist to come watch you work this week!” 

“How much have you spent thus far? We do have an annual budget we need to be mindful of for these events,” she says. 

“Oh, don’t worry; we are well under budget,” Constantin says in a flippant tone of voice that makes her suspect that it is, in fact, the opposite. 

Constantin signed the contracts and not her, she reminds herself. While she can give advice, he has final say. 

“Why don’t we have a few of your dissection projects stuffed? We can hang the flying beasts from the ceiling! It’s not a Halloween party if we don’t have a few guests pass out from fright.” 

“I thought you wanted cobwebs for the ceiling?” She asks, trying to look through the contracts on his desk. 

“No, Elizabet, those are for the gardens. I’ve got a fun surprise with those!” 

Elizabet forces herself to smile at Constantin, while quietly wondering what sort of horrifying surprise would be contained in artificial cobwebs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Candy corn was actually invented in the 1800s but I couldn’t resist being a little anachronistic in order to examine the characters’ feelings towards the controversial candy. Side note: I love it... or did the last time I ate it, which was about a decade ago now.


	2. A Fun Vampire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone really surprised that Loïc De Sardet cannot stand Halloween?

How a holiday built around a squash and marking an arse out of oneself became so popular has always been beyond Loïc. Even as a kid, running around and asking for sweets struck him as a waste of time. They had baking staff at the palace; why should he subject himself to things worse than what they make? And work for it too! 

Mother never let him ask a servant to go out in search of candy on his behalf. She always insisted he dress up and go himself. 

The costumes are the worst. He could cause a stir and wear a suit made by a slightly less prominent tailor instead of wearing a silly hat and shoes, but _no_. He needs to dress up and play pretend. Like a child. 

Ellie’s silly obsession with Halloween never made much sense. But it was the one ball of the year she would go to without complaining, so he has never said a word about it to her. 

In fact, some years he would even be able to skip the ball, because Ellie would act as the family representative, allowing him to spend the evening in the tub with a bottle of wine. Far more dignified fun than throwing on some sort of ridiculous costume. 

But Constantin also finds it charming, and him and Ellie have actually planned a Halloween ball here in New Sérène.

At first he arranged to be out of town. Breaking bread with Aloysius of the Ordo Luminis while discussing the merits of watching a good burning sounded like a much more pleasant evening. But then Constantin had to go and set up an important meeting here in town for the afternoon before Halloween. 

A clear ploy to make sure he has no excuses to skip the party. So, he was forced to send his regrets to Aloysius. The ploy becomes especially evident when all he’s asked to do is witness a signature. 

“You couldn’t have asked a member of your very large staff to act as a witness?” He complains, lighting a cigarette as they walk back to the palace. 

“It had to be someone with authority. I do quite like watching you be authoritative,” Constantin says. 

“Shush,” he hisses. “There are people around!” Looking around nervously, he sees that there is no one in the immediate vicinity who would have overheard Constantin’s flirtations. Good. Planning a murder is always so irritating. 

“My lucky star, I’m so looking forward to the party tomorrow!” Constantin says, changing the subject as they make their way into the palace. “Let’s go to my quarters and discuss the ball.” 

“Hooray, an opportunity to sacrifice my dignity in a crowd of people who are less than I am. I swear that’s all Halloween is: an excuse for those on the periphery to feel as if they’re better than the best of us just because they’ve seen us dressed as pumpkins,” he says, taking a final drag of his cigarette before tossing the butt on the floor next to a servant who quickly sweeps it up. 

“I love you very much but you can be such a fun vampire, my lucky star,” Constantin says when they enter his quarters. 

“I’m not a ‘fun vampire’, Darling; vampires aren’t real,” he says, scoffing. 

Maybe he can convince Constantin this is a bad idea. “Have we checked to make sure we would not inadvertently cause offence to our Native neighbours? I would hate for a ball to damage relations between them.” 

The look Constantin gives him tells him that he’s not being nearly as clever with his plotting as he normally is. “Your companion, Siora, would have said something. Which she hasn’t. In fact, she’s rather curious about it and Elizabet has been helping her put together a costume. And - before you try to claim we are offending Nauts with this party, Captain Vasco is attending as well.” 

“He can’t be happy about it.” The Naut is high-ranking; surely such frivolities are below him. Perhaps he will come to decide that Ellie is not worth his time and leave her, giving her a chance to make a proper match with someone worthy of her. 

“He stopped by yesterday and tried to sneak a peek at the decor. But don’t worry; I put a stop to that! Nobody gets to see what the two of us have planned until tomorrow,” Constantin says. 

“But he doesn’t approve, right?” The tattoos are embarrassing enough; throw a costume on a Naut and what little credibility they ever had disappears. 

“I’m under the impression he’s quite curious about the holiday and looking forward to it.” 

Great. Ellie is going to be seen at a noble party on the arm of a damned Naut. 

“Have you spoken to him about etiquette? He’ll bring shame to us if he uses the wrong fork or dances in the undignified manner we saw from Nauts on the voyage.” 

Constantin levels him with a look. “If I recall correctly, two years ago you used your dinner fork during the salad course at the New Years’ ball.” 

“You promised you wouldn’t bring that up again!” It was one of his more egregious mistakes. He’s not a child any longer and he still cringes when he thinks about it. 

“And you weren’t escorted out of the ball and shamed. Let the captain use whatever fork pleases him. I’ve dined with him and he does know how to use a fork, before you register that objection,” Constantin says, standing up. “Enough complaining; I’ve come up with the perfect costume for you.” 

“Must I do this? Halloween is for children.” Maybe if he complains on his own behalf Constantin will allow him to remain in his quarters here in the palace. Helping Constantin out of his costume is still celebrating the holiday.... in its own way. 

Dressing up instead of wearing proper finery is so... juvenile. He’ll never understand why so many respectable nobles opt to completely disregard their dignity one day a year. 

“You’re the legate! You know people will talk if you don’t make at least a brief appearance,” Constantin says. “Think of your reputation.” 

Loïc sighs. Maintaining a good reputation is essential and people in the Congregation do love Halloween, even if it’s an absurd tradition. “Fine. An appearance. What am I to be forced to wear?” 

“Well, I was thinking that we could go as Nauts! I managed to track down coats that would fit us.” 

He narrows his eyes. “No.” 

“It will be fun! We can paint tattoos on each other, and then during our private afterparty I can get some practice tying knots...” 

“No,” he says again. 

“What’s wrong with a Naut costume?” 

“Darling, Nauts are just... filthy. I’m not going to degrade myself in that way.” 

“Well, it’s a good thing I got back-up costumes for us, then! They are delightfully ridiculous.” 

Constantin rushes over to his closet and pulls out two costumes and as he looks at them, realizes he probably should have just sucked it up and dressed as a damned Naut. “You can’t be serious.” 

“Purple will look good on you. And the bells are just so _fun_...” 

There is no chance he’s getting out of that party with his dignity intact. Bells dangling off one’s clothes basically shouts that you’re a low-class fool with no sense of how to dress respectably. And that hat... 

“I’ll get ready here tomorrow; I’m not bringing that... thing back to the apartment,” he says. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to stop off at the market before returning to the apartment.” 

If anyone actually recognizes him in the outfit Constantin has procured for him, he’ll be a laughingstock. He needs to buy a mask. Now.


	3. Costumes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting dressed for the party.

It was lucky she found a tailor willing to work with her, she thinks, because her costume is going to create a bit of a stir. 

The fabric of her long, tight skirt is dyed teal, with silver beading, reminiscent of scales. Her bra band is silver and just barely opaque, leaving her torso and arms bare. Her shoes are a pair of ballet slippers that the tailor dyed teal. Around her neck is a small string of pearls Mother gave her for her 18th birthday. 

Her hair is down and she’s wearing bright red lipstick and her eyes are made up rather elaborately with shimmering silver and blue eyeshadow and thick eyeliner. Her thick eyelashes are curled, though she never was able to figure out how to glue the lash extensions Judy had purchased for her on. Oh well: not a huge loss. 

She’ll be difficult to recognize, especially since she rarely appears at these sorts of events. Probably a good thing, given the scandal that could ensue. Scandal is not a concern for her; she’s just the spare. Constantin’s assistant. Never again will she let the bizarre, unspoken rules about noble life get in the way of what she wants to do with her life. 

Tonight she wants to feel beautiful and powerful by Vasco’s side. The thoughts of anyone else are irrelevant. 

Carefully, she makes her way down the stairs to find Kurt dressed in a Naut coat with the familiar lines of the Naut tattoos painted on his face. Vasco is in a guard doublet and helmet and looking over at Kurt. She clears her throat and he turns his head, eyes going wide. 

“Elizabet... wow,” Vasco stammers. “You look... incredible.” 

“I thought it would work well thematically, given that my partner is a Naut,” she says nervously. “It isn’t too much, is it?” 

“The bishop won’t be able to look you in the eye but it’s bold. I like it,” Aphra says. As promised, she is dressed in a black blouse and breeches, wearing a pair of black ears. 

“You’re beautiful, Tempest. I’ll be the envy of everyone there with you on my arm,” Vasco says, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her on the cheek. 

“I’m hoping not to be recognized. I don’t think I will be, especially with all the makeup.” She rarely wears makeup and when she does, it’s usually very simple. “Also, this will be the first time I’ve worn my hair down at a formal event since I was a child.” 

Petrus comes into the room wearing a toga, holding a scroll and a glass of wine. “Traditionally I should have a longer beard but the false beards on the market are all terrible.” 

“You could have quit your very involved grooming routine for a few weeks,” Aphra points out. 

“No, I don’t think I could have,” Petrus responds. Briefly Petrus looks up at her before darting his eyes back towards Aphra. “Where is your brother?” He asks, looking anywhere but at her. 

“Getting ready at the palace, apparently.” 

“Am I wearing all of this right? I don’t know what daisies look like,” Siora says as she walks into the room. She’s in a green blouse and breeches, her face is painted a bright yellow and there are white petals made of fabric around her face. 

“You look great, Siora,” she assures her. 

“Green Blood, are you not nervous that you are about be seen wearing an outfit that is so...” Kurt clears his throat and trails off. 

Elizabet smirks at Kurt. “Absolutely not. The Congregation’s stance on nudity is absurd; there is no shame in showing off one’s body and I will not be beholden to their rules any longer. Besides, you trained me hard over the years and this body is the result of all that training. I’m quite proud of it.” 

While she’s not a tall woman, she is toned in a way most Congregation noblewomen are not. 

“I have no complaints,” Vasco says, cupping her rear. 

Aphra snorts. “No, you wouldn’t.” 

“What if you get... chilly?” Petrus asks, careful to look only at her face. 

“If I ask nicely Vasco would let me borrow the doublet he’s wearing. But I could also just find a quiet corner and cuddle with him for warmth.” 

“Sure. ‘Warmth’,” Kurt says. 

“Elizabet has a history of stealing my outerwear because she lacks her own,” Vasco adds, grinning. 

“You do know I kept ‘forgetting’ my coat during our evenings together on-board the Sea Horse because I was hopelessly infatuated with you and being given your coat was about the most erotic thing I’d ever experienced up until that point, right?” 

Petrus starts choking on the wine he had been sipping and Aphra pounds on his back. 

“I’m well aware,” Vasco says. “You were not subtle, Tempest. And I’d hope our nights together were more satisfying than being given my coat to wear.” 

“Mmm... passable,” she teases. 

“ _Carants_ , you should tell Vasco if he is doing something you don’t like. I can hear you sometimes and you sound very happy, so you might be confusing him,” Siora says, and Elizabet’s face flushes. 

“I am... very satisfied in my personal life,” she chokes out. 

Instead of being embarrassed by this, Vasco instead looks remarkably pleased with himself, standing tall with an almost mischievous grin on his face. 

“We all know,” Aphra chimes in. 

“Shall we see what sort of decorations your cousin has dreamed up?” Kurt says, very loudly. 

“I believe that would be wise. We do not want to show up late,” Petrus says, voice rough from his extended coughing fit. 

Vasco offers her his arm. “Ready to cause a scandal?” 

“Definitely,” she says. 

***

“You know, purple is the colour of royalty; you’d think you would be happier with it,” Constantin says. 

“I’m dressed as a court jester and there are bells on my hat,” Loïc grumbles. 

This does not convince Constantin that his costume is awful; in fact, it does the opposite. “I know - it’s great!” 

Constantin is also dressed as a court jester, and there are bells on his comically huge shoes in addition to on his hat. His outfit is a slightly more dignified blue at the very least. Though the tights he wears are bright yellow and his tunic is not quite long enough to cover his thighs, meaning that everyone will get a view of his darling’s... form. 

If he catches anyone starting inappropriately at Constantin, he’ll arrange for a misfortune to befall them. 

It’s a rather pleasing look, he will admit, though bright yellow looks just awful on him. Constantin would be better off in his own red tights... but, much as he loves the man, there has to be limits. And yellow tights are his. 

He managed to find a porcelain mask that fits, so he will wear it to disguise his identity. The mask is white, with gold detailing and a painted blue lip. While intended more as a piece of art, it will be suitable to wear for one night. Nobody will know it’s him in this ridiculous outfit. 

“You will be terribly hot in that mask all night,” Constantin observes while he applies white powder to his face. “Why not just wear makeup? You’d look quite fetching with a red lip, and it would work well with what you’re wearing.” 

“But then people will recognize me,” he says, scowling. 

“And we can’t have anyone see Loïc De Sardet have fun,” Constantin says sarcastically. “Elizabet showed me how to put on lipstick so I’m doing a red lip. This is quite a bit of work; I hadn’t realized how much goes into doing up one’s face.” 

“Ellie never wears makeup; I’m amazed she even knows how to put on lipstick,” he says. 

“Just because she chooses not to wear makeup most of the time does not mean she is unable to apply it. I am fond of the eyeliner her captain wears, but I doubt I have a steady enough hand to pull that off. At least, not without taking my eye out.” Constantin grabs the lipstick and applies it; he’s right, his hands are not steady at all. 

“Darling, allow me,” he says, taking the makeup brush and lipstick and applying it for him. “Years spent wearing face powder has taught me well,” he says, standing back to admire his work. “You look very much like the Congregation court jesters,” he says, which Constantin takes as a compliment. 

“I am pleased with how it has turned out!” He says, admiring himself in the mirror. 

“I... am happy you are happy,” Loïc settles on. 

“We’re matching; our first couple’s costume!” Constantin says with a pleased sigh. 

Never did he think they’d be able to present themselves as a couple. They still aren’t, but this is... a step. He used to resent the couples at the annual Halloween ball who dressed in matching costumes, thinking it an obnoxious display of affection. 

But now he’s one of them and it feels... nice. Loïc softens. “I shall tolerate being the court fool because I am yours,” he says to Constantin. “You are hosting this party so do remember to pace yourself,” he says. 

“Yes, yes, I’ll stick to wine and drink plenty of water; don’t worry, Loïc!” 

That’s going to last all of an hour, he thinks as he puts the porcelain mask on. It covers his entire face, which means that he’ll either have to avoid imbibing or remove the mask in order to sip at a glass of wine and smoke a cigarette.

Being sober wouldn’t be the worst; it will make it easier for him to watch over Constantin. 

“How will people know that I’m attending, Darling? You were so worried about my reputation,” he says. 

“Oh, I’ll just announce that you’re here. That was mostly a ploy to get you to come,” Constantin says flippantly. 

“Of course it was, Darling,” he says, sighing.


End file.
